Since we kind of got off on a tangent of talking about the STII DVD in the Nemisis thread, I decided to start a new thread dedicated to the upcoming STII DVD release. First off here are specs and cover-art for the upcoming DVD. :)

Fans will soon be able to experience a whole new dimension of one of the most beloved Star Trek cinema classics. Paramount Home Entertainment plans to release "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan — The Director's Edition" on DVD August 6, featuring a new cut of the movie and over four hours of bonus material.

In addition to the expanded 116-minute cut of the film by director Nicholas Meyer, the two-disc DVD set is packed with extras covering every conceivable aspect of the film. Contents are as follows:

Disc 1: Includes the expanded cut of the film, commentary by Meyer and text commentary by Trek encyclopedia co-author Michael Okuda.

Disc 2: Features the theatrical trailer, storyboard archives, and a wealth of bonus material:

The DVD of "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan — The Director's Edition" is presented in widescreen format enhanced for 16:9 televisions. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital English 5.1, English Dolby surround and French stereo. The DVD is subtitled and close-captioned. The DVD's list price is $24.99 in the U.S. and C$32.99 in Canada.

It is rated PG in the U.S. by the Motion Picture Association of America for violence and language and PG in Canada. It is encoded with the Macrovision™ AntiCopy process.

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

DarthBrandon

06-24-2002, 03:06 AM

Should be pretty interesting JJB's, if your a Trek fan. I am sort of, but my loyalty will remain with S.W. for life. Nothing has captured my attention for so long except my Son.

Beast

06-24-2002, 03:18 AM

Originally posted by brandon
Should be pretty interesting JJB's, if your a Trek fan. I am sort of, but my loyalty will remain with S.W. for life. Nothing has captured my attention for so long except my Son.
Oh I prefer Star Wars too, but I will watch Trek. And I am a DVD addict, so anything good that comes out usually demands a purchase. I thought it was bad being addicted to Star Wars figures. :D

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

LTBasker

06-24-2002, 03:22 AM

I'm a Star Wars and Star Trek fan. :cool:

I can't wait for this DVD, too bad it's gonna be only 1 ST DVD per year. :(

I wonder if this will lower sales on the Nemesis DVD by people just waiting for the S.E. edition.

DarthBrandon

06-24-2002, 03:24 AM

I hear ya on being a DVD addict cause I'm one of those guys too.

Eternal Padawan

06-24-2002, 09:19 AM

Thankfully I didn't fall into the trap of buying all the ST movies. I figured out what they were up to on ST VI:TUC. After that they announced the 2-disc Spec Ed of ST:TMP and I said to myself "they are going to do that to ALL of them!" So I stopped buying them.

Why are you complaining about one Trek film a year, when you SHOULD be complaining about EVERY season of TNG coming out in ONE year. My god, are we made of money Paramount?

SWAFMAN

06-24-2002, 11:30 AM

I will definitely look for this one when it comes out. Hopefully someone will post a rip of it on morpheus or elsewhere so I can d/l it for free :D otherwise, I'll rent it.

Khan is my favorite ST movie, to date. The writing and acting are so over the top in some scenes that it's hilarious, but it somehow manages to work in this move, making it exciting instead of just a joke.
The "chewing the scenery" death scenes of Khan and his first officer, and soon thereafter, Spock, are my favorite parts.

"From Hell's heart I stab at thee!"... Damn, it doesn't get much better than that. :)

Haha, like JarJar Binks I am also a DVD addict. I'm a sucker for impressive looking cases and extra features. Star Wars is my baby, but I do have a special liking of Star Trek The Original Series. But ONLY the Original Series. I'm really looking forward to this DVD, "Khan" is my favorite of the Trek films.

Beast

06-30-2002, 03:45 AM

I'm a little disapointed that the planned Shatner/Nimoy audio commentary that was hyped up and talked about on various DVD sites isn't here. Shatner and Nimoy even said that they were going to start doing them, on the DVD that Shatner produced, "Mind Meld". :(

Oh well, maybe they will be able to secure them both for Star Trek III, since it's Nimoy's motion picture directoral debut. Nimoy has said though, don't expect an expanded director's cut of III or IV though. The movies that were at the theaters, are his director's cut. :D

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

Beast

07-09-2002, 04:55 PM

Small update for you fans of the original theatrical edition of STII, that worry that the new director's cut will mean that the original version is lost forever. This update from DVDFile.com:

And in Star Trek news, Paramount will not be discontinuing the current DVD of edition of The Wrath of Khan - the only way to get the original theatrical version of the film - to make way for the upcoming two-disc special edition, which includes a new extended cut of the film. Both will remain on the market, so you can take your pick...

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

pthfnder89

07-10-2002, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by LTBasker
I wonder if this will lower sales on the Nemesis DVD by people just waiting for the S.E. edition.

Probably not LTBasker. I'm guessing that Paramount will simply release Nemesis as a full featured Special Edition when it comes out, so that it will complement the new ST DVDs.

The ONLY ST DVD that I have been tempted to buy time and time again is Star Trek : First Contact. Seeing that one playing on an HDTV at a home theatre store was one of the things that finally convinced me to upgrade my TV so I could get a better picture from my DVDs; it was BEAUTIFUL.

But I just won't give Paramount the ridiculous amount of monet they want for their current, barely adequite ST DVDs! Even at Best Buy, First Contact is $25, which is ludicrous for a barebones DVD, even if the picture is great.:rolleyes:

So I'm just gonna sit and wait until they get around to doing the Special Edition of it... *twiddles thumbs*

Jedi Knightrider

07-11-2002, 06:46 PM

But the battle at the beginning against the Borg is soooooo cool. That's worth the money, all by itself!!! I really enjoy that movie. I'm not huge on Star Trek, but I love that battle, and the idea of the first warp jump by humans is cool.

JON9000

07-14-2002, 09:39 PM

Well, I already shelled out $20 for Wrath of Khan, but I think I will pick this up anyway. It is my fave Trek movie, and also the darkest original cast film by far.

For all you Next Gen folks- try Wrath of Khan!
The plot is quite intriguing.
The score by Horner is solid compared to the recent crap.
It is actually a character driven film (a rarity)
see the first computer animated sequence in movies

JediTricks

07-17-2002, 02:27 AM

JON, I've never ever met one TNG fan who didn't like ST2, but I'll recommend this film to ANYBODY... it's that good.

Beast

07-17-2002, 02:35 AM

Originally posted by JediTricks
JON, I've never ever met one TNG fan who didn't like ST2, but I'll recommend this film to ANYBODY... it's that good.
Gotta agree with JT on this one. If you are wanting to show a Star Trek movie to anyone that has never seen one before, start with Star Trek II. Star Trek IV is a really good one also. Star Trek: The Motion Picture has way to much technobabble. Though the D.C. sure improved the movie. :)

Avoid showing them Star Trek V at all costs, tell them that one isn't even out on video yet. Hopefully in 3 years when the Director's Cut comes out, Shatner or somone can salvage that film. Have ILM finish those scenes that were cut, and try to make the picture decent. I don't know though, it's such a horrible film, I wonder if there really is anyway to fix it. :D

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

JON9000

07-17-2002, 03:32 PM

As good as STII is, Star Trek V is that bad. I find it highly unlikely that Shatner or anyone else could save that puppy. I don't really think it was bad direction so much as script problems: story feeling contrived, the lack of a decent antagonist, and awful humor. Bad effects too.

SWAFMAN

07-17-2002, 03:59 PM

I started my two youngest kids (7 & 11) on STII, III, then I, in that order this summer. I thought that was the best way to get them into TOS-based films, as they've only seen TNG tv series episodes before that. I doubt I'll bother showing them Spock's brother or the voyage home, and I think the newer TNG-based films are too intense for my 7-yr. old. I honestly don't remember The Undiscovered Country, though I'm sure I saw it. May have to rent theat one & watch it with the kids. :)

Beast

07-17-2002, 04:27 PM

Originally posted by SWAFMAN
I started my two youngest kids (7 & 11) on STII, III, then I, in that order this summer. I thought that was the best way to get them into TOS-based films, as they've only seen TNG tv series episodes before that. I doubt I'll bother showing them Spock's brother or the voyage home, and I think the newer TNG-based films are too intense for my 7-yr. old. I honestly don't remember The Undiscovered Country, though I'm sure I saw it. May have to rent theat one & watch it with the kids. :)
Star Trek VI is very good, it's right up there with II and IV. It still strikes me as weird how all the even numbered films are really good, and the odd numbered ones are pretty craptaculer. But I think that is about to come to an end. Star Trek: Nemisis sounds like it's going to be terrible, and it's an even numbered film. :(

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

Jacen Solo

07-17-2002, 10:00 PM

Its just my humble opinion but come on Star Trek, in a Star Wars forum.

Beast

07-17-2002, 10:36 PM

Originally posted by Jacen Solo
Its just my humble opinion but come on Star Trek, in a Star Wars forum.
It's not just a Star Wars forum, that's why we have areas like this for other movies, as well as a General Discussion area, Toy Collecting - Other, etc. There are other things that we enjoy beyond Star Wars, it's not like that's the only thing we have any intrest in. It would be a pretty sad life, if that was true. :)

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

JediTricks

07-18-2002, 10:25 PM

And besides, some of us have been Trek fans since before there WAS a Star Wars.

pthfnder89

07-19-2002, 04:22 PM

Originally posted by JediTricks
And besides, some of us have been Trek fans since before there WAS a Star Wars.

Very true... well not for me, but for many others.:)

Although I had liked all of the movies, I didn't become a big fan of Star Trek until the Third season of TNG. After I had been forcing my father to watch it with me for a while, he turned to me one night and said, "You know, your grandpa and Gene Roddenberry are good friends. He's known him since way back."

Of course I jumped up all excited and started babbling "Really!?? Wow, can I meet him can I visit the set can I .... etc, etc"

My dad just looked at me and said "I doubt it. Roddenberry died about 6 months ago." :mad:

I know it's cold hearted but all I could think of was "DAMN! If I had become a fan a few months earlier I might have gotten to see the set." (what can I say, I was only 11 :))

Jayspawn

07-20-2002, 02:46 AM

I loved "The Undiscovered Country." Its up there with II I think. It has a plot, uses ALL the characters, and signs off the original cast pretty good.

I try to pretend that "The Final Frontier" never happened.

JediTricks

07-20-2002, 02:49 AM

OUCH! Man, that is cold! Even worse, upon reflection, even though Gene had passed on, you probably could have gotten your gramps to talk to Majel about a set-tour. :eek:

Beast

07-20-2002, 02:55 AM

This is a little off topic, but not really since it goes along with the theme of the thread, the Star Trek II: SE DVD. I was looking at my list for next month, and August 6th has to be like the biggest month ever for quality DVD releases.

Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2-disc set)
Clash of the Titans
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: Director's Edition
V: The Final Battle
The Jeffersons: The Complete First Season

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

Beast

07-25-2002, 03:29 PM

DVDEmpire.Com has the first review of the DVD set up now. Sounds like a real winner, other then the "Star Trek Universe" feature that just talks about some of the novels that expand on the "Kobayashi Maru scenario" and "Khan's background". Without further ado, here is the review. :)

Well here it is Star Trek fans, the Star Trek DVD you've been waiting for - not just a special edition of the best Star Trek film ever made, but easily the best Star Trek DVD (and that includes the Next Generation box sets) to hit the market yet. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - The Director's Edition is everything I could have hoped it would be, and it's one of the best DVD releases I've seen this year.

For those of you who purchased the previous DVD version of Star Trek II and are not sure about buying the new one, let me assure you that you'll want to hang on to both versions! This is not just a director's cut with extra footage...it's a director's cut that uses alternate takes of certain scenes that only die-hard trekkers are going to be able to pick up on. This version of Star Trek II is essentially the same one that aired on ABC when the movie came to television, with the exception being that I believe that this is the first time ever the extended version has ever been seen in the widescreen format.

The major difference between this version and the original theatrical version is that this version makes clear that Peter Preston, a young cadet in engineering who has a small role in the film, is the nephew of Mr. Scott. But there are other editions as well, including additional lines of dialogue in certain scenes and (as mentioned before) altogether different takes of scenes.

In addition to the movie on disc one (which has a near flawless video and audio reproduction - with only a hint of the age of the film in certain segments), viewers get a full-length audio commentary track from director Nicholas Meyer where he talks about how he got the job, his experience filming the movie, and more than a few tidbits which fans have probably not heard before. The first DVD also includes text commentary (subtitles) from Michael Okuda which offer additional information about the film - although I don't recommend watching this and listing to the commentary during the same viewing, as you're bound to miss something interesting being said or flashing up on-screen!

The second disc in this set is the one that should have Star Trek fans really drooling. It is loaded with bonus material, most of it brand-new. But unlike the director's edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, where most of the info presented was designed for the first-time Star Trek viewer, the bonus material here is geared with the Star Trek fan in mind...not going into verbose explanations about the characters, but instead giving us the "scoop" on the production and behind the scenes stories from the making of the movie.

"The Captain's Log" is probably the most entertaining of the bonus features, as it includes new interview material from Nicholas Meyer, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and executive producer Harve Bennett. Particularly entertaining are Shatner's comments, in which he pokes fun at both Leonard and Harve (two very close friends) - but which may come off as rude and "egotistical" to the average viewer...so casual fans should be aware that Bill isn't being mean, he's just making some good humored jabs at his old friends. Also moving are Harve Bennett's comments as he almost comes to tears when recalling the initial fan reaction to the movie and his pride in knowing he was partially responsible for saving the Star Trek franchise. In fact, Harve has long been known among fans and colleagues alike as "The Man Who Saved Star Trek".

Also entertaining are some original interviews on various talk shows with some of the stars (including Shatner, Nimoy and DeForest Kelley) which I have never seen before, and probably haven't been aired since they initially ran. Other bonuses on disc two include a featurette on the designing of the film; a featurette on the special effects; a storyboard section; and the original theatrical trailer (which in hindsight is not put together very well, but I suppose was the standard for movie trailers in the early 80's).

The only really annoying bonus feature is entitled "The Star Trek Universe" and introduces us to two Star Trek writers, a female who has written books about the Kobayashi Maru scenario and a male who has been writing novels about Khan's background. This segment is obviously an attempt to get fans interested in the books, and while I don't want to discourage people from reading a good story, the two authors presented here are so obviously obsessed with Star Trek that they fit the stereotypical "Trekkie" label perfectly. I found myself hoping that Bill Shatner would interrupt the segment and kindly tell these two people to "get a life"!

But that one segment aside, Star Trek II: The Director's Edition is a near-perfect DVD set, nicely packaged (it even includes a CD-ROM to sign up for StarTrek.Net, should you be interested) and everything you could hope for in a Star Trek DVD. You'll definitely want to beam this one over into your shopping cart as soon as possible!

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

wedgeA

07-25-2002, 06:23 PM

JJB,

Alternate takes? Awesome. I think that the only other thing that this release should have done was replace some of the TMP stock footage (Kobayashi Maru, Enterprise) with new effect shots. Otherwise I will be there on Monday for the midnight release!!

When I first sat down to write this review, I originally planned to go on about the story and the plot, blah blah blah, of STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, but quickly realized that it would be rather useless as anyone reading this probably already knows it by heart anyway. After the big-screen opener STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE received mixed notices for its perceived slow pace and a lack of action, the filmmakers went back to the drawing board and retooled this next big screen adventure with more battle scenes and a quicker tempo. The experiment worked; KHAN is still widely regarded as the best of the franchise, and everything from the look of the TREK world, including the sets and costumes, to the more dramatic and action-oriented flavor have became a template for all subsequent entries in the series.

As for the plot of WRATH OF KHAN, like I said I was going to write the usual filler synopsis, but why bother? If you're a fan of the series then you know just what a treasured masterpiece THE WRATH OF KHAN is, or if you've never seen a TREK film, then this is the one that will definitely get you hooked. Ricardo Montalban commands the screen as the highly-quotable Khan, still the best of the Trek big-screen villains, and the cast plays off their gray hairs with considerable humor but not the cringe-inducing preciousness of the later chapters. Director Nicholas Meyer also wisely plays off the fans' familiarity with the characters and the backstory, but still makes it all accessible with none of the smarmy in-jokes that grated in future chapters. This is a fun, lively space adventure with heart and intelligence that just happens to be a Trek film, and not the other way around.

The film is 20 years old now, and watching it again I was struck by how the filmmakers did a remarkable job at creating a world that's far less dated than the "disco fever" set and costume designs of THE MOTION PICTURE. Just one look at Uhura's funky afro in the first film and you know exactly what I mean. That's not to say that TREK II is perfect, what with those leftover Solid Gold outfits that Khan and his gang sport, and you gotta love Kirk's sideburns. The effects are also a bit cheesy now, but all the models and mattes have an 80's charm that modern CGI still can't match. But that's just what makes the film so beloved. One of the few big-screen Trek adventures that can stand on its own, Khan remains, for my money, the one to beat.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?:

Released once already on DVD, this new Director's Edition features an extended cut of the film that runs about 3 minutes longer than the theatrical version, and thus necessitated a new transfer. Once again presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, based on direct A/B comparisons of both the old and new transfers, this new edition is on par with the last, but does boast some noticeable improvements.

Colors are generally solid and stable throughout, but the heavy concentration of various shades of red throughout really puts the disc to the ultimate test. A tad bit less blurry than the previous release, here hues are a bit smoother and robust, and fleshtones look slightly more accurate. Detail is favorable, although the film's photography lends itself to a relatively soft look overall. Perhaps the most impressive upgrade is that the blacks, which although quite good before, look even more rock solid. However, the transfer still looks dark, and the now-antiquated effects-heavy sequences - such as all the models and extensive use of mattes - still suffer from noticeable dirt and grain, with the big Mutara Nebula climax faring the worst.

One of the problems with the vintage TREK films, specifically II, III and IV, is that the photographic style of the time just doesn't really translate well on video. As is to be expected, this darker quality can also effect detail and shadow delineation. Darker hair coloring, for instance, seems to lack any refinement, but overall this is still just a tad bit brighter and "punchier" than the previous transfer, if only by a hair. But another plus less edginess to the image, which looks less "contrasty," and better compression, with far less of the pixel break up that marred the first DVD. Not a huge improvement, but this is still a step up from the previous release.

Audio: How Does the Disc Sound?:

Unlike the transfer, this appears to be the same English 5.1 Dolby surround track included on the previous release, albeit with the insertion of the new footage. Fidelity is understandably dated. Mono dialog emanates from the front three channels instead of being firmly anchored in the center. This gives it a less specific source than I would have liked as occasional poorly integrated looped dialog also rears its ugly head, but on the whole vocals sound clear and essentially natural without strain.

That lack of anchoring is also evident in the directional effects of the soundtrack. By and large this isn't as directional a soundtrack as I remembered or was expecting. There are strong sequences to be sure, such as the climatic battle in the Mutara Nebula, where the mix accurately tracks the onscreen action but for the most part the front soundstage only maintains any consistent stereo presence with the James Horner's majestic score. That score is also the primary active element of the split surrounds, which do feature some subtle discrete effects and and nice spatiality. Low bass is notably deficient, however, with a lack of the real deep low tones that were such a nice surprise on the TREK III remaster. The sub is given a few nice kicks, but it just doesn't have much work to do.

English 2.0 Dolby surround and French 2.0 stereo tracks are also included, along with English subtitles and Closed Captions.

Beast

07-25-2002, 11:23 PM

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

At last! The most popular Trek film of them all finally gets the special edition treatment! Following the success of last year's two-disc Star Trek The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition, Paramount now has a nice template to work from, and this set is consistent in terms of presentation, packaging and the depth of supplemental content. The nicely animated menus are simple but effective, and don't stray from the iconography of the film. The packaging also matches the first film, although the only disappointment is the enclosed four-page foldout, which just replaces the back of the box and lacks any detailed information on the changes made to this new Director's Edition of the film. But that's about the only omission, because we do get new commentaries, featurettes and more, courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment and DVD producers Mark Rance and Jennifer Petersen.

Disc one includes two excellent commentaries, both newly-produced for this DVD. Despite director Nicholas Meyer's recent public comments that he wasn't too high on the idea of recording an audio commentary at all and only did it for the fans, you wouldn't know it by listing to this track. For a guy who acts like he doesn't have much to say, he sure won't shut up! He's highly entertaining throughout, and perhaps Star Trek II is so good because Meyer wasn't that big of a fan of the series or the first film when he took the job? This is one of the best commentaries I've heard in a long while, and everything from the initial conceptualization of the film to the effects, to working with Montalban and disagreements with Kirk and Spock are covered. Meyer is such an intelligent, natural filmmaker that one wonders why he only did one more Trek flick after Khan, Star Trek VI (the subtitle for which, The Undiscovered Country, was Meyer's original choice for Part II). While listening to Meyer's track, I also switched on Michael Okuda's text commentary, which is another treasure trove of Trek lore and factoids. Co-author of The Star Trek Encyclopedia, Okuda obviously knows this universe like few others, and writes in a thorough but accessible style. Perfectly paced, he covers it all, from Khan's history in the show to the additions to the new cut, and even comments on Meyer and his directorial style. These two are an unbeatable combination, and an absolute must-listen for fans.

Plop in disc two and it's off to Planet Genesis, complete a cute animated menu and plenty of new featurettes and other goodies. And in a very nice touch from Paramount, all the newly-produced video materials are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and include optional English or French subtitles.

First up is The Captain's Log, a rather bizarre 27-minute collection of new interviews. The key principals are here, including Meyer, producer Harve Bennett, actors William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and Ricardo Montalban, but lacking is much in the way of behind the scenes footage or stills. Also odd is that the interviews of Nimoy and Bennett are shot in such tight close-ups that on my 65" screen, a gargantuan floating Nimoy head is a nightmare-inducing experience. But despite the dull pace this is certainly the first time that most of these participants have talked at any length about working on the film, and at long last we get the real story behind the numerous script rewrites and the controversy surrounding Spock's untimely demise. The highly personable Montalban ultimately steals the show just like he did in the movie, and Nimoy and Shatner come off as frosty, very frosty (especially Shatner, who always seemed like a prick). Can't wait to watch those interviews on Star Trek V!

Up next is another collection of interviews, all taken from EPK material produced at the time of the film's original 1982 theatrical release. Running 11 minutes and presented in full frame only, these are hysterical to watch, especially the terrible clothes and bad sets. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley and Ricardo Montalban are all featured, and who let Kelley wear that ridiculous green scarf? Also highlights are the smarmy Shatner trying to score with the interviewer, and a 3-minute closing montage of rare behind-the-scenes photos set to music.

New to this DVD are two more featurettes, Designing Khan (24 minutes) and Where No Man Has Gone Before: The Visual Effects of Star Trek II (18 minutes). Although still somewhat sluggishly paced, these two do benefit from more variety and a better integration of film clips, behind the scenes footage, rare conceptual art and costume designs, storyboards and cool special effects "before" footage. Once again Montalban charms with recollections of his Khan getup, and other highlights include those icky ear eels, a look at the Genesis video sequence, which at the time was a pioneering use of computer-generated special effects, and the first-ever Star Trek starship dogfight in the Mutara Nebula.

But what, there's more. The Star Trek Universe is a 19-minute, Trekkies-like look at fans Greg Cox and Julia Ecklar, who parlayed their love of the universe into successful careers as authors of numerous Trek-related books. Yes, these are "geeky fans," so the appeal of this one might be limited by just how much Star Trek you can stand. At first I wasn't sure why they picked these two to focus on, but then it is revealed that both have written extensively on Khan and the "Kobayashi Maru Scenario" that figures prominently in the movie. So if you're really into the character and the moral implications of the story this is your featurette. All others, be forewarned that this might be a bit too much to bear...

Rounding out the extras are a pretty extensive storyboard archive of no less than twelve sequences from the movie - "Main Title," "Kobayashi Maru," "Ceti Alpha V," "Regula 1," "Chekov and Terrell Find Khan," "Admiral's Inspection," "Khan's Revenge," "Kirk Strikes Back," "Find the Genesis Cave," "Mutara Nebula," "Sneak Attack," "Genesis," and "Honored Dead." Each segment allows for manual control, and the images are nicely presented although no descriptive text is included. Last but not least we have the film's theatrical trailer presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen.

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?:

Strange for a Trek film, no ROM extras have been included. How about at least some integration with the official Trek website next time?

Parting Thoughts:

After a very long wait, fans are finally getting the special edition of Star Trek II they've always wanted. An upgraded transfer, tons of new supplements and a nice price of only $24.95 list make this a must-buy even for casual Trek fans. And if you have the previous movie-only release, it's worth selling it off and picking this one up. Can't wait for the next one!

JediTricks

07-26-2002, 05:27 AM

Originally posted by wedgeA
Alternate takes? Awesome.Haven't seen 'em yet Wedge? ;) IMO, they were cut for a good reason, I've seen 'em on TV and they slow the story down and actually detract from the impact of the scene for both Scotty and Kirk. Still, it'll be nice to have just to see something new.

wedgeA

07-26-2002, 05:53 AM

JT,
I have not seen the extended cut in ages. I am actually skeptical of exteneded cuts of films, as great films are rarely improved by adding footage, especially when a lot of footage is added. An example of this is JFK, that film was hurt by the extra 20 minutes added in. What's worse is that the theatrical cut is not in wide release for the home video market.

However, the ST2 cut is only about 6 minutes longer than the theatrical cut. Also, alternate takes shouldn't have that huge of an impact, they're essentially the same scenes with minor changes in dialogue and camera angles. I will reserve judgment until I see it for myself, but I do trust Nick Meyer when it comes to ST films.

Beast

07-27-2002, 11:57 PM

Another review is up, though I will link to this one as there is alot of screenshots. Sadly Montalban isn't looking very good. I knew that he was ill, and had a debilitating spinal condition that had him so that he could bearly walk, but I have'nt seen him in so long I never knew he had gotten so bad. :(

Originally posted by wedgeA
JT,
I have not seen the extended cut in ages. I am actually skeptical of exteneded cuts of films, as great films are rarely improved by adding footage,

But I have to say chopping a film down in some cases is the best medicine. ST TMP Director's Edition is only 20 minutes shorter, but it makes all the difference in the world.

hango fett

08-02-2002, 03:55 PM

belive it or not, i like SW and ST about the same amount. they both rule! but i got into star terk first....
h.

hango fett

08-02-2002, 10:11 PM

oh, BTW, we got WOK (wrath of khan) on dvd last tuesday. that and season 2 of star trek TNG. i have not had a chance to watch either of them yet, but i might watch WOK later tonight...
h.

Jayspawn

08-03-2002, 12:51 AM

Interesting picture of Montalban JarJar. Well the man is like 72 years old.

KHAN!!!!!!

Beast

08-03-2002, 01:04 AM

Originally posted by Jayspawn
Interesting picture of Montalban JarJar. Well the man is like 72 years old. KHAN!!!!!!
More like 81 years old. He was born November 25th, 1920 in Mexico City, Mexico. Actually, I just read that he's in Spy Kids 2, so he has made a return to the big screen. He plays Grandpa Cortez. The charecter is in a flying wheelchair type of thing, likely because as I said before, Montalban's back in real life is so bad that he can't really even walk anymore. :cry: :(

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

Tycho

07-18-2007, 12:39 PM

I just watched TWOK again a few hours ago. Dang it is a great movie AND a great Star Trek movie.

It has plot and character development with action and humor.

"What if they went no where?"

"Well Bones, this will be your big chance to get away from it all." HA!

I just have the box-set VHS. I don't usually buy stuff again (on DVD) if I'm not going to watch it over and over again (waste of money).

But TWOK inspires me to own one version or the other of a DVD because it (and ST 3 & 4, and 6) are movies that inspire me to repeat their viewing.

I may buy a deliberately incomplete ST DVD collection. I'm reviewing this thread to help me decide which version of TWOK I should purchase. I usually don't watch DVD extras (well making-of stuff - I like interviews with the actors and directors and writers).

And James Horners' music score is going through my head. I have to get this soundtrack!

JediTricks

07-18-2007, 04:59 PM

It's the 25th anniversary of the film, and Trekmovie.com posted this interview with Nick Meyer but it's got 1 naughty word so I have to repost it for ya:

July 14, 2007 by Anthony Pascale

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The film is considered by many (including J.J. Abrams) to be the best of the 10 film series and the benchmark by which other films are compared. The film was directed (and written) by Nicholas Meyer, who went on to co-write Star Trek IV and VI (which he also directed). Meyer recently appeared at the screening of the film (part of Geek Magazine’s ‘1982 Geekiest Year Ever’ Series). I had a moment to talk to Mr. Meyer at the event about his views on the film so many years later, if he would make any CGI changes, why he isn’t credited as a writer and his views of the franchise going forward. (Interview below)

TREKMOVIE.COM: Can you sit back and enjoy the film like an audience member, or do you still see it as a film maker and worry about all little details?

NICK MEYER: It is interesting that you ask right now, because I was just watching and I was aware of the hairs rising on the back of my neck. I was genuinely thrilled as the Enterprise leaves spacedock. I was very excited and had a bag of popcorn in my hand and I don’t think my reaction was different than anyone else’s.

TREKMOVIE.COM: But you probably weren’t so relaxed on opening night?

NICK MEYER: All works of art, good bad or indifferent, time does something to clarify what they are. When Stravinsky’s “Le Sacre du Printemps” was premiered there was a riot in the theater and Stravinsky had to sneak out of Paris, but fifty years later it is the soundtrack to Fantasia and no one thinks anything of it. Artists tend to be ahead of the curve and everybody else has to sort of catch up. That doesn’t mean that the artist is wildly conformable or secure with what they are doing…at least not for me. You go with your gut.

TREKMOVIE.COM: When you got the job for Khan, how much freedom did you have? What was your mandate from Paramount?

NICK MEYER: Barry Diller said to me that one of his most wrenching moments as head of Paramount, was seeing lines around the block for Star Trek The Motion Picture and knowing that in his opinion the movie didn’t deliver. The movie made a profit not withstanding that it was a runaway production at the time…it went up to $45million in 1979. So my mandate was to make a movie for a lot less money. That was the only mandate that I had.

TREKMOVIE.COM: You made a lot of changes from the original film in both the characters and the production design…Did you have in mind that you were setting a new tone for the franchise?

NICK MEYER: No absolutely not. All I was doing was making a movie they way I thought it should be made. Because all the studio cared about was that we weren’t breaking the bank. People read the script when I turned it in and they were very pleased.

TREKMOVIE.COM: You have told the story about how you were originally only going to direct the film, but you had to write the script because you and Harve Bennett didn’t like any of the five previous attempts at a script. So why are you are not credited as the writer?

NICK MEYER: It is long silly story. Basically when I made the suggestion that I take all the things we liked from the other scripts and put them together in a new script Harve Bennett and Bob Salin, said that ILM said that if we don’t have a script in twelve days they cannot guarantee delivery of the shots in time for the opening. I said ‘I can do this in twelve days lets get on with it.’ And they said ‘we couldn’t make your deal in twelve days’ and I said ‘forget my deal, forget the credit, forget the money…I am here as the director, but if I am not here as the writer right now there is not going to be any movie.’ So I just wrote it and they put somebody’s name on it. In fact I think they put Harve’s name on it first, but he later told me he lost the arbitration.

TREKMOVIE.COM: One of the recent trends is to go back to original work and to add new CGI effects. Lucas did it, CBS is doing it with the Original Series, Robert Wise did it with the first movie. Paramount will get around to re-releasing your Trek movies in HD…what do you think of the trend of adding new effects and is that something you would be interested in?

NICK MEYER: The only reason I would do it is to control what was being done, but I don’t really believe in it. It is like saying ‘there are synthesizers now, we should take Beethoven’s Fifth and re-orchestrate it for synthesizer’ I think works of art ought to have some kind of integrity where you don’t sort of f*** with it.

TREKMOVIE.COM: In the case of the first film, Robert Wise felt that he never got a chance to finish the film the way he wanted to. With his ‘Director’s Edition’ there were things he could do digitally that he wished he could have done originally…

NICK MEYER: Did it make it better?

TREKMOVIE.COM: Many would say ‘yes’…especially with the final scenes do now fit more with the original plans

NICK MEYER: The only scene I would tinker with is there is a wide angle scene with them on the planet that is very hokey. We didn’t have the money to do it right so if their stuff could improve it I would say OK, but I really think some of the charm about pieces of art is that they are from a certain time. It is like colorizing black and white movies. I don’t want black and white movies colored, I think it is an insult. And it is rewriting history finally…rewriting history is very dangerous. Are we now going to take out anti-semetic references in this movie or anti-black references in that movie because it unpalatable now. We have the technology we can make them say something else. I don’t think so.

TREKMOVIE.COM: Do you know JJ Abrams?

NICK MEYER: Yes I was at his bar mitzvah. He is the son of my friend Jerry [Gerald Abrams]

TREKMOVIE.COM: Did you know Star Trek II is his favorite Trek movie

NICK MEYER: No I didn’t but I am glad he likes it.

TREKMOVIE.COM: Some have said that this moment is like when came in with a new team 25 years ago, even calling Abrams ‘the new Nick Meyer.’ So do you have any advice for young JJ?

NICK MEYER: Go with your gut.

TREKMOVIE.COM: Apparently the plan is for them to get back to basics and return to the Original Series. What do you think are the basics of Trek…what is at the heart of Trek?

NICK MEYER: Gosh…men against the universe…a Howard Hawksian idea. I don’t know, I am not a very analytical person. I am more intuitive, that is why I say ‘go with your gut.’ I have never been able to account for the success of this. I think its optimism, its belief calls to us. The notion that people can work together and that at the end of the day everybody is human. Whether that is true or not is another question, but I think that it’s a pleasant daydream. But beyond that I can’t presume to give him advice [laughs] He is very successful.

Droid

07-18-2007, 05:48 PM

I prefer the original Wrath of Khan cut to the director's cut. I don't like some of the interactions between Scotty's nephew and Kirk. I wish I had the theatrical version on DVD. And they don't need to update the effects for me!

I think that since they are updating the original series they should put Chekov in the same room with Khan in some scene, I don't know which. Always irritated me that Chekov isn't in Space Seed.

JediTricks

07-22-2007, 11:15 PM

Yeah, WOK moves incredibly well with the original version, but supposedly Meyer really did want the scenes in the Director's Cut.

Chekov's character wasn't added to the cast until the season after Space Seed aired. We can just assume he worked in a different part of the ship when Khan arrived and we just didn't see them interact. :p

Tycho

07-23-2007, 01:18 AM

Chekov was kept busy looking for new-clear wessels.

He spent all of season 1 searching for them but didn't find any so Kirk let him move up to the bridge.